When Sadia Abdullah arrived in Vanuatu, the first thing she noticed was the heat and the humidity. The second was how friendly everyone was, and the strong sense of community. 

Sadia flew into Port Vila, the capital of Vanuatu, in August 2022. Months earlier, she was at home in Sydney under tight COVID restrictions and eager to go anywhere outside her living room. Now, just a three-hour flight from Sydney, she was in beautiful Vanuatu, a country she knew almost nothing about a few months prior — just “that it was a dot in the Pacific”. Vanuatu is an archipelago of 83 islands with a population of around 300,000 people, located east of Australia on a similar latitude to Cairns.

Sadia had always known that she wanted a job that allowed her to travel. With her interest in science and maths at school, civil engineering felt like an obvious choice at university. She figured “all of society needs help building”. She had several years’ experience under her belt as a civil engineer in Sydney when a colleague sent her an advert for a volunteer role created in partnership with the Australian Volunteers Program and Engineers Without Borders Australia (EWB) for a technical services engineer role with the Department of Water Resources (DoWR) in Vanuatu. Though she had initial apprehensions, she seized the opportunity to fulfil her original reason for pursuing engineering. Sadia was accepted to volunteer for 12 months abroad with EWB through the Australian government funded Australian Volunteers Program.

Sadia and her colleagues at the Department of Water Resources (DoWR) in Vanuatu, who gifted her a dress and basket at her farewell.

Volunteering as a technical services engineer with the DoWR wasn’t just about planning, designing and building water supply systems in rural areas; it was problem-solving in the extreme. The first few months working in Vanuatu were challenging for Sadia as she adjusted to the local culture, ways of work and different availability of materials and resources on the remote archipelago. These challenges meant Sadia had to employ a different type of engineering to what she was familiar with in Sydney. She returned to first principles engineering: understanding local community needs through consultation and problem-solving to deliver the best solutions with the resources available.

Sadia understood that as a foreigner joining the team, there would be an adjustment period culturally for herself and the Vanuatu team, “where we were trying to understand each other and how we work”. While the work of an engineer can be stressful with tight deadlines and complex problem-solving, Sadia stayed true to herself and her values of “being friendly, always treating others with respect and being open and honest about how you do things”. 

After a few months of taking lessons in Bislama, the main local language, Sadia began to put her skills to use. “I might as well try to speak Bislama and make a fool of myself rather than make them all uncomfortable speaking English”, she said. The impact was immediate: “The moment I just pushed through with speaking Bislama, everyone became much more comfortable, and I think it’s just so much nicer to converse in your home language, right?” She bonded with the team in Vanuatu and maintained a strong working relationship – they still keep in touch to this day. 

Sadia and the team troubleshooting a pump to provide an alternative access to water for a community.

In a country prone to natural disasters, Sadia and the DoWR team had serious challenges to overcome together. Following twin tropical cyclones Judy and Kevin in March 2023, mass destruction devastated the water supplies of rural communities in the archipelago. It was in this six-week emergency response period that Sadia faced a steep learning curve, working directly with affected communities on Tanna island assessing water needs and water systems, fixing leaks, and collecting data for long-term design and construction. Though initially confronting, Sadia found these periods of work to be some of the most rewarding of her time in Vanuatu, as she witnessed the resilience and spirit of the community as they came together after the cyclones to clean up the debris.  

The local community also mobilised to help themselves and each other by digging out the pipe work that had been covered from landslides, and rebuilding and maintaining the water supply system. When the water supply was finally restored, the community was so grateful and happy, they threw a big party to celebrate. For Sadia, seeing the impact of her work was rewarding, especially to witness how empowered the community were following almost a month without water. The silver lining from this emergency response is that the team is now better equipped to respond to future cyclones, based on the work and documentation Sadia and the team prepared in 2023. 

Throughout the year, Sadia enjoyed her time off work, indulging in some of the pleasures of Vanuatu’s island life – snorkelling, hiking, and exploring parts unknown to tourists, with the guidance of her new local friends. 

Sadia and her housemate and fellow Australian volunteer hiking to the peak of Nguna Island, an outer island off the north coast of Efate, Vanuatu.

Living in Vanuatu and helping engineer rural water systems gave Sadia time to reflect on her father’s upbringing in rural Bangladesh, where his village relied on a ground pump for water. “It would actually be fantastic to use all of these new skills that I’ve learned, this information, this new skillset to apply it to Bangladesh… I think it did inspire me to get back in touch with my roots and see what I can do for my village and family in Bangladesh”. 

Off the back of this year-long adventure in Vanuatu, Sadia feels positive about the future. Having learnt so much about herself and her capabilities both professionally and personally, she is excited to take on whatever future opportunities come her way. Sadia is looking forward to the day she can impart her wisdom to the volunteers who follow in her footsteps and provide them with the same care and support she received from the EWB network. Her advice to anyone thinking about volunteering overseas with EWB – “just do it! If it’s something you’re leaning towards, you should just grab the opportunity.”

If you’re interested in volunteering overseas as an Australian Volunteers Program Field Professional with EWB, check out our current opportunities at ewb.org.au/volunteer. The Australian Volunteers Program is an Australian Government-funded initiative.

The post Volunteer adventures in Vanuatu: Sadia’s life-changing year abroad appeared first on Engineers Without Borders Australia.

Eleanor leaves a legacy of scaling EWB’s work and bringing big-picture thinking to our organisation. Under Eleanor’s leadership, EWB doubled down on its in-country presence overseas and embarked on ambitious new projects in Australia, and in its training programs. She also steered the organisation through the challenging years of COVID-19.

We wish Eleanor all the very best for her next chapter and thank her for the energy, dedication and leadership that she brought to EWB over the last six years.

“After six years at the helm of Engineers Without Borders Australia, I have made the decision to step down on June 30.

 

With the 2030 strategy guiding us, we have matured as an organisation and focused on increasing our impact, inspiring hearts and minds, showcasing the possibility of engineering as a catalyst for critical change, and we have delivered important outcomes in communities in Australia and across the Asia-Pacific region.

 

I am still as much in awe of the deep devotion that everyone associated with EWB has to make a tangible impact. We don’t do things by halves and we don’t stop because it’s too far, or too hard, or too new. Our commitment to no-one being left behind runs deep.

 

We’ve stepped up to deliver large infrastructure projects, responded to emergencies, woven First Nations engagement and two-way knowledge sharing across all our programs in Australia, provided socio-technical consulting services, built teams of national engineers, and linked our engineering work with our university partners through project based learning and strategic research programs.  

 

We have matured and we have stepped up and I couldn’t be more proud of the organisation that I’m handing over in June.

 

Warmly

Eleanor”

Engineers Without Borders Australia will be seeking applications for the role of CEO shortly. As the leader of a dynamic innovative non-profit at the forefront of socio-technical engineering, the CEO will drive transformational change for communities, in Australia and internationally.

Follow us on LinkedIn and sign up to our newsletter to be notified when applications open.

The post EWB CEO Announcement appeared first on Engineers Without Borders Australia.

More recently, Bea’s passion for international development led her to volunteer overseas in Cambodia and Timor-Leste for several months with EWB Australia through the Australian Volunteers Program as a Country Strategy Mentor. 

What has she learnt over the past 10 years? When working with communities overseas, says Bea, “you’re not the star”. The people she worked with – their culture, language and knowledge – came first. “The biggest learning point was to stand back.”

Australian Volunteers Program Field Professionals, Bea and Nicole, visiting a school in Siem Reap where an accessible handwashing station was installed by EWB in partnership with Cambodian Rural Students Trust.

Working across the world

Throughout her career, Bea found working and volunteering across several countries to be a stimulating experience, one which took her out of her comfort zone and prompted her to question her assumptions while bringing her into contact with enriching and inspiring people. Bea’s wide-ranging travels have taught her the importance of flexibility and resourcefulness, and in particular, being able to constantly learn and adapt to different cultures, environments and experiences. “Working across cultures and appreciating the importance of flexibility has maximised my ability to contribute to a better world”. 

For Bea, living, working and immersing herself in communities offers an experience both more challenging and more rewarding than being a tourist. Bea finds this immersion and deep engagement critical to her work; for international development to be successful and meaningful, she says, it’s vital to have a real understanding of the situation on the ground and how the local context works. 

Bea in a workshop held by EWB Australia with local Cambodian NGO Banteay Srei.

This was particularly important in Bea’s experience working on water and sanitation in Cambodia, to avoid situations where facilities like toilets were installed but not regularly used or maintained. Putting in the effort to learn and understand communities’ needs ensures engineering projects provide genuinely effective, long-lasting solutions that help empower communities in sustainable and culturally responsive ways. 

Often, this involved taking a step back and investing time in building relationships with, and learning from, people in local communities. This was a mindset shift that Bea observed in herself and in other colleagues, especially for those transitioning away from a high-powered Western workplace culture built around getting things done, quickly. Working on business development outside of Australia required a new way of thinking and doing things – taking the time to strengthen capacity within communities rather than going in first and doing the work; collaborating together, rather than providing ready-made solutions. 

Engineering is ‘all about people’

Bea’s work in Cambodia and Timor-Leste marked new strategic directions for EWB’s country offices, charting a course for expansion and greater in-country responsibility. Her work in both countries involved extensive consultation with the country offices, as well as close collaboration with stakeholders in each country. In each case, the strategic plan focused on providing opportunities for people and strengthening capacity, in a way that reflected the country’s unique context, strengths and needs. 

Bea and the EWB Australia in Cambodia team on a trip to Siem Reap with the Australian Deputy Ambassador in 2023.

Bea’s work in Cambodia also impressed on her the value of working with communities to activate their sense of ownership and agency over their resources and equipment. Bea has seen the benefits of empowering people and helping build an entrepreneurial mindset. In one instance, Bea worked with an organisation to install a water tank in a village and gave ongoing responsibility for the facility to one person, who then started a business ensuring the village always had water. “Change starts at the grassroots level and occurs when people are empowered to take responsibility,” says Bea. 

Mentors and collaboration 

Looking back on her varied career, Bea says she’s fortunate to have had mentors who had confidence in her abilities and encouraged her to take on new opportunities and explore new fields. On her part, Bea has always been open to new challenges – whatever came up, she “‘always said yes”’.  She also cites her husband, Gavin Blakey, former Chair of EWB, as a collaborator and source of inspiration in her work. Bea and Gavin have worked together on many projects, driven by their complementary skills and a shared passion for empowering people and prioritising the development and welfare of others. 

Bea and her husband Gavin volunteering in Cambodia with the EWB Australia team.

Bea’s focus on strengthening capacity and empowering people from the ground up is what shapes her strategic work, but also her individual approach. Whether mentoring women in small businesses in Papua New Guinea, working with young entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka or collaborating with EWB staff in Cambodia and Timor-Leste, Bea values the relationships she’s fostered through her work. In reflection, she says, “The major contribution I hope I have made is to have encouraged and supported people, giving them confidence and hope about their and their families’ future”. 

If you’re interested in volunteering overseas as an Australian Volunteers Program Field Professional with EWB, check out our current opportunities at ewb.org.au/volunteer. The Australian Volunteers Program is an Australian Government-funded initiative.

The post Global travels and local impact – Bea Duffield’s volunteering journey appeared first on Engineers Without Borders Australia.

We are excited to announce that the First Nations context for the 2024 EWB Challenge will be delivered in collaboration with the Torres Strait Island Regional Council (TSIRC) with a focus on Saibai Island within the Torres Strait Islands. Student design ideas aim to support TSIRC staff with their work on the ground in Saibai Island.

Torres Strait context

Saibai Island is located in the top western group of islands in the Torres Strait, approximately 138 kms north of Horn Island and 4 kms south of the International Maritime border with Papua New Guinea. It is part of the Torres Strait Island Region and is approximately 800 kms north of mainland Australia. The island covers an area of around 42km² and is characterised by a flat topography with a mix of sandy beaches, mangrove forests, and lush vegetation.

Saibai is a flat mud mangrove island with the community established on a narrow strip of beachfront situated a few metres above sea level. The community is inundated several times a year by king tides overtopping a basic stone seawall that was constructed in the mid 1900’s, as well as a concrete seawall built in 2017.

Caption: Saibai Island seawall during low tide, high tide and king tide (from left to right).

One aspect of biosecurity in the Torres Strait involves restrictions on the movement of waste materials between the islands and mainland Australia. The primary reason for this restriction is to minimise the risk of introducing harmful pests, diseases, or contaminants that may be present in the waste into mainland Australia.

Waste management practices in the Torres Strait aim to ensure that waste generated in the region is treated appropriately, minimising the risk of contamination and the introduction of harmful substances to the mainland or other sensitive areas.

Currently, Saibai Island, like many other islands in the Torres Strait, faces challenges in waste management. Limited infrastructure and resources contribute to constraints in waste collection, disposal, and recycling on the island. With the increasing population and economic activities, the amount of waste being generated has also grown, putting pressure on existing waste management systems.

The community partner for this year’s First Nations context, TSIRC, plays a crucial role in the governance and administration of the region. Comprising 15 elected Councillors representing 15 wards, TSIRC is responsible for delivering a wide range of services and programs to the local communities, including infrastructure development, waste management, environmental conservation, and cultural preservation initiatives.

TSIRC is committed to upholding the rights and interests of the Torres Strait Islanders, including their traditional knowledge and customary practices. This commitment is evident in the council’s efforts to protect marine ecosystems, such as the implementation of sustainable fishing practices and the conservation of critical habitats for endangered species like the dugong, which holds significant cultural and economic value for the Islanders.

Scoping trip 

Caption: EWB staff, Sai Rupa Dev and Josh Macleod speaking with Councillor Conwell Tabuai.

In December 2023, the EWB Challenge team travelled to Saibai Island to meet with representatives from TSIRC and local community members to progress the scoping process that feeds into the comprehensive design brief and supporting multimedia resources issued to our EWB Challenge students.

“One of the biggest challenges encountered during the scoping process was at the very start of our trip, when we were trying to get to the island safely amidst Cyclone Jasper. We didn’t know when or if we could arrive on the island until we were actually there. This initial hurdle put into perspective the remoteness of this part of Australia, as well as the logistical challenges associated with it. I can only presume that there would be similar challenges for contractors, health professionals, and other emergency services.

“Once we arrived at Saibai Island, it was marvellous to witness this amazing island right at the cusp of the international maritime boundary. Papua New Guinea is just 4 kms away and you can see it from the shore. Saibai is a tight knit community where everyone knows each other, and they welcomed us straight in. The most interesting thing I found on the island is that every house has a name derived from their clan of origin” – Sai Rupa Dev, EWB Challenge Series Lead.

Design considerations for students

When developing their designs for Saibai Island, students will need to take into consideration the solution’s sustainability, impact on community and environment, community engagement, cost and economic benefits, materials and access as well as delivery and ongoing management. 

“Given the remoteness of the island, waste is a huge problem as it isn’t logistically feasible to transfer waste generated within the island elsewhere. I’m excited for students to take this challenge into consideration and incorporate circular design thinking into their projects.” – Sai Rupa Dev, EWB Challenge Series Lead.

Students participating in the 2023 EWB Challenge within the Torres Strait context will develop design proposals addressing one or more of the following themes: 

• Waste management;
• Water and sanitation;
• Information and communication technology;
• Infrastructure;
• Energy;
• and climate change/disaster management.

Students will also have access to immersive virtual reality interactives captured using 360 degree cameras and drones developed by EWB. Students will need to consider the many challenges posed by climate change and the remoteness of the Torres Strait Islands when designing their proposals for Saibai Island, amongst other challenges.

The EWB Challenge is delivered as part of the EWB Challenge Series, EWB’s real-world curriculum-integrated university education programs. The 2024 EWB Challenge is delivered in partnership with the Torres Strait Island Regional Council.

The post Announcing our 2024 EWB Challenge community partner – Torres Strait Island Regional Council appeared first on Engineers Without Borders Australia.

Water, risk, and sustainability engineer Nicole Locke had always wanted to work overseas but there had never been a good time to do it. She graduated into a difficult job market and was lucky enough to find a position with Water Corporation in Perth. Fast forward a few years to 2019 and Nicole was considering her next move. 

“I was talking to a mentor and she said, you’ve always thought about going overseas and volunteering,” Nicole said. “’Why don’t you just do it?’ I thought—well, why not?” 

For many technical professionals, once you’ve started down a career path it can be difficult to divert or pause the momentum. But taking time out from day-to-day work to learn something new is a tradition of learners the world over. The practice of sabbaticals, a period of time granted to pursue learning or projects outside of regular duties, was established by Harvard University in the 1880s and soon, it became common practice at all universities. It may be trickier these days to make a sabbatical work with modern life, but the benefits are still the same–new perspectives and new knowledge.

Nicole pursued her dream of volunteering overseas, a self-made sabbatical, by applying for an Australian Volunteers Program role with EWB Australia in the Cambodia office. “I called up someone from EWB because most of my engineering experience was more in strategy, not necessarily the hands-on technical detail and design that most people think engineering is all about,” Nicole said. “And they came back saying, no, actually we need that specific skill set.”In Perth, Nicole works in the water utility sector, a line of work that engenders a profound sense of responsibility. “Everybody needs [clean water], every single community needs it,” she said. “Most people in Australia can turn the tap on and they can take it for granted that they have what they need and that it’s going to be safe. And then moving into places like Cambodia, you no longer get to take that for granted.”

Nicole and a student during a visit to a school in Siem Reap.

Nicole’s first stint in Phnom Penh began in January of 2020. You can probably guess what happened next. Many Australian volunteers were repatriated home in March 2020 and the dream was put on hold – for a few years, at least.  

Once the program started up again, she persevered and headed back to Cambodia at the end of 2022, this time with her partner in tow. Nicole had done a lot of travel over the years (fun fact: she’s visited every continent, including Antarctica!) but her partner was a little less sure. “I was comfortable, I knew what to expect [going back]. I knew how [the program] is so supportive and does a really good job introducing you to the country,” she said. The logistics of moving to a new country can be daunting but the Australian Volunteers Program has been doing this for a long time. Visas and insurance are included, you receive a living and accommodation stipend, there is support in finding affordable accommodation, and you’re entitled to receive language training. And best of all, according to Nicole, you’re inducted with a group of volunteers who are all in the same country. “It’s almost like, ‘Hey,  here’s a support group, pre-made for you’,” she said. 

So at the end of 2022, Nicole started again in Phnom Penh (second time’s the charm, in this case) as a WASH capacity mentor. “A capacity mentor is about mentoring individuals so that their technical and professional skills are increased,” Nicole said. “I think that’s a really rewarding way to work because it’s much more sustainable. Some organisations will think volunteers are just consultants. You come in, you do your project and you leave. But [when I leave] I’m leaving all the understanding and the knowledge in how to do this work.”

Assistive Technology Officer, Mengheang, and Nicole testing the quality of wastewater samples.

The role of a WASH capacity mentor asks you to jump into a variety of projects and lend your expertise in a sustainable way, contributing both to the outcomes of the project and upskilling your team members equally. For Nicole, the work she collaborated on was varied, from practical solutions and prototyping (“People might bring pipes and gears and all sorts of bits and pieces to the office to build pilot technology,” she said) to whiteboard brainstorming and strategy. Being placed in the Cambodian capital meant she and the other engineers were often able to go out into the field and get direct feedback from the community. EWB works with several rural and remote Cambodian villages developing new sanitation technologies, so travel to these places is often an adventure in itself – think tuk-tuk to bus to car to boat and back again. 

Other elements of culture shock can creep into volunteer life too. Coming from the Australian context, international volunteers often discover an entirely different set of parameters in their new roles. From differences in office hierarchies, culture or language barriers, and complex field issues of access and resources, volunteering can be as challenging as it is rewarding. “It is a very difficult environment to work in sometimes,” Nicole said. “It takes a lot of time to find your feet and it requires a lot of support from local or experienced people, but there’s no point beating yourself up about it.” 

What does a day in the life look like for an EWB engineer? It’s very different to living and working in Australia, although it starts out much the same. 

“I would wake up, get ready, go down the elevator,” Nicole said. “I was living in the city in an apartment, it actually overlooked the Russian market [Tuol Tompoung], pretty cool. Then I order a tuk on an app to get to the office – they have great apps, it’s basically Uber for tuk-tuks.”

“The day would be filled with whatever projects we were doing. I was mostly in the EWB office, but sometimes I might need to go to, say, the government’s workshops or meetings. After work, you could just jump on a tuk-tuk and within ten minutes get anywhere you wanted to go, and there are some really incredible places to eat.”

The view from Nicole’s apartment, overlooking Tuol Tompong (the Russian Market).

The benefits of living and working in Cambodia are too many to name but include: quick and easy access to South East Asia (“I went to South Korea for a week because they’ve got direct flights!”) and plentiful time outside of work to pursue other interests (Nicole is writing a sci-fi novel and completed some online writing courses while in Cambodia). 

One last question for Nicole: what was the best meal you ate in Cambodia? “I really like Fish Amok. It’s this beautiful smooth curry that’s the national dish.” 

Actually, you don’t need to go all the way to Cambodia to try fish amok – you can try it at Country Cobb Bakery in Melbourne, run by two Cambodian brothers. Their Khmer creation, the Fish Amok pie, won Australia’s best pie in 2023. If you’re yearning for a taste of adventure, why not try it in pie-form first. 

Food aside, the advice Nicole would give to prospective volunteers is all about expectations. “I think a lot of people go into this sort of thing, assuming ‘I’m going to change the world’,” Nicole said. “I went to try and provide value, but I feel that maybe I got more out of it. Part of what attracted me to being an international volunteer was knowing that by throwing myself into a different cultural context, I would have to adapt and learn and discover different ways of doing things. And that personal growth was definitely one of the strongest draw points.”

If you’re interested in pursuing your own supported sabbatical, consider volunteering overseas as an Australian Volunteers Program Field Professional with EWB.

The post Remote field visits, tuk-tuk commutes, and fish amok: a year in the life of an Australian volunteer appeared first on Engineers Without Borders Australia.

Each year, the EWB Challenge Showcase brings together top university student teams from across the country. Students present the most innovative, community-centred design ideas developed in response to the EWB Challenge Design Brief, and all event participants celebrate a year of learning, focused work, and collaboration.

This year’s EWB Challenge Showcase saw students, academics, judges, and EWB staff from across Australia, New Zealand and Cambodia travel to James Cook University’s Nguma-bada campus in far north Queensland to celebrate their designs. Students and academics were also able to participate in workshops designed by EWB to enrich participator design skills, as well as cross-cultural learnings. 

It was the first time in EWB Challenge history that students responded to one of two different community contexts; a First Nations context in Australia with Dawul Wuru Aboriginal Corporation, and a Mondulkiri context in Cambodia, in partnership with the EWB Australia team in Cambodia. With representatives from both community partners present at the Showcase, it was a particularly enriching experience for students who had taken into consideration the community contexts in their projects throughout the year. 

Judges listening to a pitch addressing the First Nations context at the EWB Challenge Showcase.

2023 Award Winners 

Students who participated in the 2023 EWB Challenge developed design proposals addressing a variety of themes including but not limited to: Information and Communication Technology, Energy, Waste management and Water management.

Judges from Dawul Wuru Aboriginal Corporation and EWB Australia in Cambodia were very impressed with the finalist pitches. Congratulations to the following award winners: 

• Showcase Pitch Award – First Nations context: University of Western Australia – Modular container system
• Community Partner Award – First Nations context: Curtin University – Solution to Bush Tucker Degeneration
• Showcase Pitch Award – Cambodia context: Canterbury University – Producing waste bricks as a solution to the waste management problem in Pu Ngaol, Cambodia
• Community Partner Award – Cambodia context: Auckland University of Technology – Infrastructure to enable safe river access
• Best Stall Award: Curtin University – Solution to Bush Tucker Degeneration
• Industry Reviewer Award: RMIT – Ground water detection system to aid in flood response

A big congratulations to the award winners for 2023 and thank you to all the finalists! 

Finalists from the University of Western Australia, who took home the Showcase Pitch award – First Nations context

EWB Australia would like to acknowledge the Yirrganydji traditional owners and thank Dawul Wuru, their staff and partners who have shared so much with us to inform the 2023 EWB Challenge brief. EWB Australia also like to thank RS Group, who sponsored the 2023 EWB Challenge, and James Cook University for hosting the 2023 EWB Challenge Showcase.

The EWB Challenge is delivered as part of the EWB Challenge Series, EWB’s real-world curriculum-integrated university education programs. Learn more about the EWB Challenge here.

The post Congratulations to the 2023 EWB Challenge Showcase award winners appeared first on Engineers Without Borders Australia.

Increasing uncertainty

Vanuatu is one of the most at risk countries in the world for natural disasters, especially tropical cyclones, and the frequency and intensity of cyclones is increasing due to climate change. Cyclone Lola hit Vanuatu on 26 October 2023 impacting 80,000 people.[1] The Category 5 cyclone was the third major one to hit Vanuatu in seven months.[2] Critical infrastructure including roads, bridges, schools and homes were wiped out, and communities who were only just beginning to recover from the twin cyclones in March, Judy and Kevin, were again faced with the mammoth task of rebuilding what was lost and damaged.[3]

This is just one example of the impacts of climate change. It highlights that the increasing uncertainty in our changing world means infrastructure needs to be more resilient to better prepare communities to face the growing frequency and intensity of disasters.

But infrastructure is much more than concrete and steel

When we think of infrastructure that is climate-resilient, we might think of strong buildings; hardy, weather-resistant roads; or continuous electricity. Few would question this, and the ability of infrastructure to withstand increasingly harsh and frequent weather events is certainly an important part of resilience to a changing climate. But this is only half the story.

Climate-resilient infrastructure is about much more than the strength and resistance of concrete and steel. It’s also much more than an ability to cope with and absorb prevailing conditions, or even building back when disaster strikes. It may sound obvious, but the reason for infrastructure to be climate-resilient is so that people can access, use and benefit from those facilities and services over time.

The Australian Pacific Climate Partnership’s Resilient Infrastructure Good Practice Guide, emphasises that infrastructure assets should be planned and budgeted for, designed, built, operated and maintained ‘based on inclusive design and stakeholder engagement, while also building broader community resilience, and where possible, supporting improved capacity of individuals, industry and governments.’^[4] In the context of disasters, the Humanitarian Advisory Group’s Framework for Green Humanitarian Action in the Pacific, emphasises the need for humanitarian infrastructure to be sustainable and climate-resilient, and highlights the importance of ensuring local communities and traditional knowledge, values and practices inform the design and management of infrastructure.[5] Climate-resilient infrastructure is inherently about people, and our approach to it has significant implications for accessibility, gender equality, and social inclusion.

Climate-resilient infrastructure is both social and technical. Research shows that even the most critical of human needs have relational and physical aspects. Infrastructure assets like water services, shelter, and transport are deeply interconnected with production and livelihoods; psycho-social wellbeing; understandings and continuation of culture and identity; and for sustaining the ongoing satisfaction of needs over time.[6] Such needs are socio-economic, psycho-social, cultural, and in some cases all-encompassing – each reflecting social assets of infrastructure which, in contrast to physical resources, are not scarce.^[7] Looking beyond quantitative metrics like litres, windspeed, and temperature to also listen to and acknowledge lived experience, perspective, traditional knowledge and culture, represents a significant extension to how we typically think about minimum standards, humanitarian and international development goals, and articles of legislation.^[8]

The challenge of a truly socio-technical approach to climate-resilient infrastructure is in no small part because it introduces the element of choice. And with choice comes some especially challenging concepts, like equity, rights, and justice. As the Australian Security Leaders Climate Group points out, ‘community-based resilience is potentially the most powerful, most enduring, and most achievable form of resilience’, and is ‘complex system of integrating parts.[9] This is an uncomfortable space for many of us working with the built environment who feel at home talking about cubic metres and kilowatts, which are easy to measure. A deficit of wellbeing or social cohesion is much more difficult to assess and operationalise.[10] Nonetheless, the difficulty of engaging in this space reflects its importance.

What’s next?

This is just the beginning. There are challenges to address and opportunities to improve how climate-resilient infrastructure is designed and built using a socio-technical approach. Areas requiring a deeper dive by the humanitarian and development sectors, including donors, policy makers and built environment practitioners, in partnership with governments and most importantly communities experiencing increasing disasters include:

• Localisation and infrastructure
• The challenges of reaching net-zero infrastructure
• Barriers to and opportunities for climate-resilient infrastructure
• The mutual complementarity of climate action, humanitarian action, and environmental protection
• Moving from climate ‘adaptation’ to climate ‘agency’ in the built environment

Learning and improving in these areas will take time, but we are already on our way. As an example, Tropical Cyclone Pam, which hit Vanuatu in 2015, has been described as “a bit of a game-changer”, in terms of how the Vanuatu Government and development partners have engaged around infrastructure.[11] EWB’s Sanitation in Challenging Environments program continues to grow and iterate after 15 years of community-centred climate adaptation and evidence gathering. So too New Zealand has been working with the Vanuatu Government and communities for 15 years on projects such as water supply in schools, which are now proving to be good examples of climate-resilient infrastructure that are withstanding the additional pressures of increasing cyclones. Climate-resilient infrastructure is a long game, but it’s one we must play.

Infrastructure involves and affects people in profound and everyday ways. A built environment that is climate-resilient should be locally led; people-focused; and elevate the importance of culture, relationships and social support. This is what truly climate-resilient infrastructure looks like.

[1] ABC Pacific (2023) Footage shows havoc caused by Tropical cyclone Lola in Vanuatu

[2] Reliefweb (2023) Cyclone Lola leaves trail of destruction in northern Vanuatu, warning for cyclone season

[3] Radio New Zealand (2023) Fears of infrastructure, housing damage as cyclone Lola damage evaluation continues in Vanuatu

[4] Australia Pacific Climate Partnership (2023) Resilient Infrastructure Good Practice Guide

[5] Haruhiru, HAG & lese (2023) Framework for Greening Humanitarian Action in the Pacific. Humanitarian Horizons. Melbourne: HAG

[6] McArdle P. (2022) Transforming water scarcity: community responses in Yemen and Australia, The University of Sydney

[7] Sandole, D. (2013) Extending the reach of Basic Human Needs: a comprehensive theory for the twenty-first century, in Conflict Resolution and Human Needs (pp. 39–57). Routledge

[8] McArdle P. (2022) Transforming water scarcity: community responses in Yemen and Australia, The University of Sydney

[9] Australian Security Leaders Climate Group (2023) Alternative Commonwealth Capabilities for Crisis Response Discussion Paper – Submission

[10] Avruch, K. & Mitchell, C. (2013) Introduction: Basic Human Needs in theory and practice. In K. Avruch & C. Mitchell (Eds.), Conflict Resolution and Human Needs. Routledge

[11] Radio New Zealand (2023) Fears of infrastructure, housing damage as cyclone Lola damage evaluation continues in Vanuatu

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Dan Lambert is the CEO of WaterStart and an Adjunct Professor of Humanitarian Engineering at UNSW. His previous roles include Arup’s water business in Australasia, and as an Officer in the Royal Australian Engineers. Daniel’s leadership in engineering has been recognised by Engineers Australia as ‘Sir John Holland Civil Engineer of the Year’, Professional Engineer of the Year’ and as one of Australia’s ‘Most Innovative Engineers. His impact in WASH has been recognised by the Australian Water Association: as winner of the ‘Kamal Fernando Mentoring Award and the Water Professional of the Year. Daniel is a Fellow of Engineers Australia and a Fellow of the Institute of Managers and Leaders. His industry roles include Chair of Carbon8 Fund, Chair of Australian Water Partnership’s Expert Review Panel, International Advisory Committee member of the Global Water Institute, Steering Committee member of the Humanitarian Engineering Community of Practices and Operation Water’s Advisory Board.

Sheena Valenti is a climate change consultant with Energetics. As a Senior Consultant and Manager, she has advised ASX5oo clients across energy, resources and commercial sectors. She has worked as an engineer and project manager with Ekistica, an Aboriginal-owned company in Alice Springs, specialising in renewable energy and operating the Desert Knowledge Australia Solar Centre, and Perdaman Advanced Energy, delivering solar to Perth-based industry. An EWB alumnus, Sheena held roles as Regional Chapter President (WA) and University Chapter President (UWA), championing EWB and its values in 8+ years of volunteering. She spearheaded PCs for Refugees (Connectivity) in WA, travelled to Cambodia on the DEE (Dialogues) 2010 and participated in Murray Darling Dialogues 2013, the Mickey Sampson Leadership Program 2013-14 and multiple National Council events. She completed her thesis on power theft in India and graduated with First Class Honours in Mechanical Engineering / Arts (Philosophy).

Congratulations to Dan and Sheena, and many thanks to all of the nominees. We are thankful for your support and hope to work with each and every one of you in the future.

Outside of the EWB board elections, we are also pleased to welcome Grant Maher to the EWB Australia Board. Grant brings to the EWB Board his extensive experience working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and his experience as a leader within the engineering and construction industry. Alongside running a successful engineering consultancy, Grant is also the Chair of Engineers Australia’s Indigenous Engineers Group, CEO/Executive Director of Deadly Coders and more recently, worked with EWB to reimagine and pilot the Pathways Program. We look forward to working with Grant as an EWB Board Director to create an equitable reality for communities.

We also farewell Shane Kennelly who will be attending his last board meeting as an EWB Director this December. Shane has made major contributions to the Board and EWB’s strategic direction since joining in 2017. During his tenure, EWB launched our 2030 Strategy, embarked on strategic projects such as Dili Water, and reaffirmed EWB’s commitment to reconciliation through our recent Innovate RAP. We wish him well in his new role as co-founding Director on QIBN and future endeavors. Thank you Shane!

The post EWB Board Update appeared first on Engineers Without Borders Australia.

When the devastating floods first hit Dili in April 2021, over 11,000 people were displaced from their homes and 45% of Dili’s population were without ongoing or reliable access to clean water. While the need for safe and clean water was immediately addressed through the provision of clean water delivery and temporary filtration systems, it was the significant impacts on infrastructure to key sections of Dili’s water system that required more significant reparation works. EWB was part of a partnership which included Be’e Timor-Leste E.P. (Dili’s newly established water utility), PARTISIPA (the Australian Government’s program supporting the government of Timor Leste in subnational infrastructure and decentralisation) and global engineering firm Cardno/DT Global. The project was led by the Timor-Leste Government, funded by the Australian Government and construction was completed by local contactor RMS. 

Local contractor, RMS, pouring concrete in a pipe encasing in Beemos. During the April 2021 floods, the river channel changed and piping was exposed. To enhance its durability and ensure long-term resilience, the pipe’s alignment was lowered and encased in fibre-reinforced concrete.

Although intended as an emergency response, in reality the project was a full situational analysis leading into infrastructure design and construction, in order to build back better. Two sites were the major focus of this project – one in Mutudare River (a steep and narrow river valley in the foothills adjacent to Dili) and the other in Beemos River (a much larger river with an expansive catchment area, a tributary of Dili’s main river, the Comoro). The Beemos River supplies the most significant source of water for Dili’s entire water system, providing up to 3.5 ML of water daily. With a large catchment area and very fast concentration time as a result of the steep surrounding terrain, the Beemos River saw flood waters up to 6 metres deep during the April 2021 event. The impact of flash flooding this severe was catastrophic to all infrastructure in its path, hence a new approach of burying HDPE pipeline out of harm’s way was adopted for the system repair. Mutudare River also saw extremely high-velocity flooding, which caused catastrophic damage to existing infrastructure. 

Repairs to the Beemos system were made by DWSERP over 900 metres, using 300-mm-diameter HDPE and steel pipelines, as well as the construction of two major scour valve pits (one over 5 metres high), a new pipe bridge, two river crossings and an 80-metre-long concrete-encased gabion pipe protection structure. At Mutudare, 500 metres of 300 mm HDPE and 150 mm steel pipe was installed, all trenched into gravel and bedrock as deep as 3 metres in some places. Also at Mutudare, a new weir, intake tank and protection structure were constructed, as well as four river crossings, a scour valve and rehabilitation of a historic pipe bridge from the era of Portuguese colonisation. Overall, the project sought to benefit approximately 70,000 people who receive supply from these systems and, more broadly, the 221,000 people who reside in the capital of Dili. 

EWB, DT Global and RMS meeting on site to discuss the re-design of the intake weir and intake tank at Mutudare following heavy rain during construction, which destabilised the adjacent embankment. The re-design sped up construction, mitigated safety concerns for workers and reduced the amount of concrete required overall, therefore reducing the emissions footprint of the infrastructure.

The wet season

The intensity of the wet seasons in Timor-Leste played havoc with this project, particularly when pipeline construction was surrounded by steep embankments and in fast-flowing rivers. During the project, two of the three largest rainfall events of the year occurred in the midst of construction on the Mutudare site. This extreme weather destroyed newly constructed trenches and pipework, which increased the duration of the construction phase of the project. During these flood events, the water moves incredibly fast – in the 2021 floods, the torrent moved metres-long slabs of concrete (weighing as much as 5 tonnes) hundreds of metres downstream. Choices in design and materials needed to have long-term sustainability in mind. To address this, pipes were buried, which ensured future-fit infrastructure. Pipework was also encased in concrete where its alignment crossed under the bed from one river bank to the other, to protect it against such powerful flash flooding. In fact, concrete featured heavily throughout the construction due to its strength and durability, but the team was conscious of its contribution to the creation of carbon emissions. As such, it was used only when absolutely necessary. 

Dangers and dilemmas 

The project threw up multiple challenges. Construction necessitated the removal of vegetation and trees which changed the course of some of the smaller creeks and made them vulnerable to further erosion and sediment run-off. Revegetation as part of the project aimed to mitigate these issues. Active landslides were a safety issue, and one of the intake structures was strategically repositioned to counteract future landslides on that site. Unexploded ordnances, including mortars and a landmine dating back to World War II, were discovered on one of the sites and required removal by the local police.

Contractor RMS preparing to lower the alignment of the pipe at crossing 2 at Beemos.

Limitations to accessing specific equipment and materials brought home the kinds of challenges that the Timorese people face every single day. The project required significantly longer lead times – sometimes months instead of weeks – to obtain materials that were unavailable in Timor-Leste. Sourcing materials from Indonesia was at times a faster solution than sourcing them from Australia, and procuring and manufacturing as much as possible within Timor-Leste ensured that some of the elements required were less expensive while providing local employment and skills development. 

One locally available product was heavily used throughout the project – but inadvertently wiped out its supply to an unrelated sector. HDPE pipework expands under pressure, and a PVC foam wrapping allows enough space between the pipe and the concrete encasing to allow for that expansion without causing damage to the structure. A call out to source every PVC foam yoga mat in the country resulted in 200 mats being brought to site for the purpose. It also made for a pretty colourful section of pipework!

The health of the team was also challenged during the project, with several staff suffering from bouts of diarrhoea. This highlighted the effects of poor water quality that are endured by the Timorese people on an all-too-frequent basis. 

Opportunities for local engineers

Feto Enginhera site engineers, Marta and Angelica, with EWB Project Director Richard, onsite at Beemos.

The project was one of the largest and most technically challenging jobs that many of the local project staff had ever worked on. This was particularly so for many of the Timorese female engineers who are still striving to gain meaningful experience in the sector within their own country. Many in the project team leaned into this unique opportunity to provide informal mentoring. For local female engineers like Angelica da Costa, the project has proved a career game-changer, with several now employed in roles with local programs.

Angelica is a Timorese civil engineer and a member of Feto Enginhera who worked as a site supervisor on the project for over 12 months. Angelica has volunteered her time with EWB since 2020 through Feto Enginhera. As a site supervisor, she monitored the project to ensure materials adhered to quality and design standards and assessed the quality of construction. For Angelica, this was a unique opportunity to build her technical skills, allowing her to gain confidence in identifying and assessing materials for their quality and environmental impact. She describes the project as a great experience which gave her the opportunity to work with a supportive team who collaborated to build skills in data collection.

Female engineers in Timor-Leste continue to face gender stereotypes and few opportunities to apply their practical skills. Empowering engineers like Angelica through participation in projects such as DWSERP is an important step in bridging the gender divide that exists in the industry.

More than clean water

Spending time working near the communities that reside along the rivers also afforded moments for the project team to support them where they could. In one instance, excess sand and concrete was offered to a local family, and the construction team helped them form a concrete slab for their new home. It is something this family ordinarily could never afford, and now they have built a sturdy house on top. Locals were also regularly employed as security on the worksites, to keep a watchful eye on the build mid-construction, and as labourers to construct the works and gain construction experience. 

While there were many other positive outcomes as a result of the project, the primary focus was on the provision of clean, safe water – for the long term. Nearing the conclusion of the project, and enroute to the airport, one of our team drove past a young girl and boy who would have been around 12 years old. They were carrying two 10-litre jerry cans – one in each hand – filled with water from an unclean river. It is this scenario that this project seeks to stop.

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Photovoice is a qualitative participatory research method that empowers community members to document and reflect upon their lived experience through photography. It was pioneered by researchers in 1992 as a tool to collect stories from women living in villages in the rural Yunnan province of China. The researchers asked the women to share their lived experience by taking photographs in their communities and then writing a reflection to accompany each photo. Their reflections were then shared with policy makers seeking insight about the community’s needs. 

By centering community members’ voices and expertise in their lived experiences, photovoice improves the quality of collected data by reducing potential bias imparted by data collectors external to the community. Today, photovoice can be used either as a tool for intervention or as a monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) tool to provide feedback and to reflect upon a specific project.  

Photovoice is implemented through five steps:

1) Recruit participants

• This is usually a diverse group of people from the target community impacted by the project or project stakeholders.

2) Orient participants

• Provide a specific prompt relevant to what is being investigated to guide participants.

3) Create images

• Equip participants with knowledge of photography and smartphone camera use to elicit quality photographs.

4) Interpret images

• Facilitate reflections from participants about their captured photographs with guided questions to provide insight into their perspectives.

5) Utilise photo-stories

• Advocate for positive change and improve programs with the resultant photo-stories.

Dr Jess MacArthur

The introduction of photovoice at EWB was facilitated by Dr Jess MacArthur, an expert in qualitative research and a background in chemical engineering. As part of her PhD studies with the Institute for Sustainable Futures at the University of Technology Sydney, Jess created the qualKit, a curated set of qualitative MEL tools designed for gender equality and social inclusion programs. Jess now works as a research and learning adviser with Pro-Wash and Scale and as an adjunct fellow at the Institute for Sustainable Futures in monitoring and evaluation of water and sanitation programming. After being approached by EWB, Jess generously volunteered her time and expertise to train EWB’s Engineering team on photovoice. 

The photos produced using photovoice may not make for visually striking images but they can powerfully advocate for positive change and amplify the voices of local community members. “It’s not necessarily about the quality of the photo, it’s more about what the photo is representing,” said Jess.

As part of the Cambodian team’s photovoice training, they conducted photovoice in Ankaol village in Kep province as an intervention tool to identify the different community experiences relating to open defecation. While the challenges regarding women’s safety around accessing sanitation is well documented, the use of photovoice brought to light the challenges associated with unsafe access to sanitation as a result of wet weather, particularly for elderly residents or people living with a disability. The training itself was also an eye-opening experience for the team. When given the photovoice prompt, they found themselves seeing the community (a community they had visited numerous times) in a new light. 

Photovoice “opens the net to capture things that we normally don’t think about,” explained Jess. When participants of different demographic groups (such as women and men) are given the same prompt, there is a plethora of research showing that they produce very different images, demonstrating the value of documenting diverse community perspectives. “Each person coming to the same topic will create an image that’s very different … which is very valuable – seeing what they highlight and what’s important to them,” said Jess. 

Throughout the training process, the team learnt important considerations around the implementation of photovoice, such as partnering with community members to ensure prompts are culturally sensitive. While photovoice can be a tool to rebalance power, it is important to consider that the photovoice process can also be a barrier to participants who have low digital literacy. Spending time to equip participants with the skills and knowledge to document their stories is essential to ensure ethical data collection.

The addition of photovoice to EWB’s MEL toolkit will enable the team to strengthen their data collection processes and inform learnings. Capturing diverse perspectives through the power of imagery will complement the collection of quantitative data and allow EWB to continue to learn from our successes and challenges.

EWB would like to thank Dr Jess MacArthur for her generosity in volunteering her expertise and time to train the international teams and facilitate the use of photovoice at EWB. 

Interested in volunteering your skills and expertise with EWB? Take a look at our current volunteer opportunities. You can also get in touch with us at info@ewb.org.au.

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